


Precious divinity

by Loyal_Royal_Panda



Category: Kung Fu Panda - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2018-12-31 10:06:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12130137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loyal_Royal_Panda/pseuds/Loyal_Royal_Panda
Summary: Lord Shen raided the panda village with his wolves, but he couldn't bring himself to kill one abandoned baby.





	1. Self determinism

**Author's Note:**

> i had this idea stuck and i finally got it out. here you go.

Lord Shen looked upon the panda that stood before him. He drank the in creatures form and once again grew envious of them. Like him they too were bathed in white, the color of death. All born with it were marked, shunned, and avoided. But they, pandas, had all been mercifully spared that curse with generous spots of black like the night sky. Pandas once took it as a sign that they were from a divine world in the stars, and held a power that they would one day share.

They took too long. And today that sky was red.

The creature flinched as he approached. As if expecting a sudden strike. There was no escape. Backed against the tree and blocked by wolves on all sides. Tears in its eyes, its breathing relaxed, it knew what was to come. He had seen it so many times today. Either by his hand or another. The beasts giving up, resigning to their fate, when they would truly be embraced by the divine. Some of them prayed, others begged. A few even took there own lives.

But this one female who had given his commander the runaround, just stood there; eyes locked onto his, as he calmly strode in to give her to the gods.

The last panda. He felt obligated to let her speak.

“If you have anything to say. You have this one chance.”

She broke her eyes to the ground in thought. And looked up, eyes glistening with the fire of her village in the distance.

“Why?”

He wondered, how best to explain to a stupid villager, why her kind needed to die for the prosperity of his family to survive. For his line to continue. For Gongmen to have its golden age. For him to never be shamed by defeat or death.

To be worthy.

“Because destiny dose not control me!” He seethed.

And with that he plunged his blade into her chest. A wet squelch was punctuated by a cry as blood leaked from her body onto his blade. The air tuned foul with its funk as she pathetically gasped. He yanked it free and she collapsed into the snow; breaths shallow and full of life's struggle to hold on.

He tuned to leave just as a baby's cry permeated the air. Barely audible through the wind and the cackle of torches.

His head snapped to its direction, the sounds of despair from the dying panda forgotten. What child would be crying here that was not already slain by his command? He walked towards the sound though the black trees and snow, his wolves in tow; and came upon a cart filled with boxes of radishes. The baby cried out again, and he saw it. Ugly and fat, a baby panda hidden in the radishes, some with bites in them.

Stupid creature. He thought. Do they not think of anything but food? He commanded the leader of the wolves to bring it to him. His eye caught his commanders scared bleeding face. A villager must have been lucky enough to get a strike in. it was just that thought that placed a shard of fear in him. Pandas seem so benign, it was easy to forget that they were counted amongst bears, and had great strength even when untrained.

All the more reason to kill them young.

The creature cried as it was removed from the crate, held by the scruffy fat and skin of its neck. The commander sniffed it. “It bears the scent of the female my lord.”

Lord Shen felt sick as he was handed it. It green eyes wet as it fussed and grasped at the air. He was offended. Even more offended then he had ever felt from years of unlove and neglect. She abandoned it! She abandoned it to save herself. To be unburdened with it has she ran for her own life. And as he stared into the infants eyes, something uncoiled in him.

He was young once. He wanted to be with his family, when they had deemed him too sick to be around. A shameful reminder of how weak their creation was. When they had left them in the care of the only person in the palace that would even give him a chance to claim his birthright was the first time he felt any semblance of love. And it was only when he was strong and worth something that his parents even let him in to be their son.

“Lord Shen, aren't you gonna kill it?”

Worthless, pathetic, weak and left to die.

He held the baby up to his eye level. It mewled and whimpered. And he saw himself. And he laughed at the idea forming in his mind.

“Remember those old story's? About the crusading heroes seeking revenge on the ones who wronged them?”

His commander eyed him with confusion. “Uh...Aren't we hear to stop them, from...stopping you?”

He turned to his commander. “Well, what better way to stop one from killing you, then being their only family?”

The commander licked his lips in thought for a moment as the idea set in. his troops eyed each other. Finally an unsaid consensuses reached them all.“Are we really considering this, my lord?”

Shen gave it just one more thought before he raised the baby up. “Prepare the wolves to return to Gongmen. Once my parents see how I have defied fate, they will finally know I am worthy.”

 

Shen strode up the stairs to the palace gates. He felt good, greater then he had ever been before. The wolves had voiced their concerns about the whole situation. Saying that they would not understand. But it was irreverent. Once they see what he had done for Gongmen they would know he was right. The city's heir would not be felled by a prophecy, and when they see that fate can be changed they would never need to fear for their son.

The gates opened for him, and when he made it to his parents chambers, he could see them in each others arms, waiting for him with the Soothsayer and a number of Gongmen's solders. No doubt wondering why he had taken the palace guards. But as he strode up to them he could make out the faces they wore. His fathers stone, brow clenched. His mothers worried, and full of shock.

And the Soothsayer, full of tears. Hers was the only one that made him pause.

“I have returned.” He bowed as was custom. A pregnant silence met him. Why did they not speak? He looked up to see nothing had changed. Their silent stares baring down on him, it was unnerving. “Do you not have questions?” He half asked, half demanded. Why did they say nothing?

Finally a voice spoke.

“What have you done?” Asked the lady of Gongmen. But Shen did not understand why her voice sounded so pained.

“What?”

“I say again Shen. Why have your troops returned bearing the scent of rot and ash?” She eyed his guan dao, caked in dried blood.

“I have changed destiny mother. The Soothsayer was wrong. I have proven that fate is not preordained!” He walked up to them, arms open.

His father spoke next, his voice seemed to burn the air around him and halted him. “Then why have the villages to the north burned? We can see the ashes from here, wafting though the air, raining down on us like the omen we have learned.”

Shen's eyes turned to the Soothsayer, her face filled with shame. He could tell it was for him, but their was a hint of something else. “What omen.”

She spoke softly, her voice bereft of even the slightest hope. “I have had a vision while your were gone Shen. That the sky burned, and showered death, that you would return bathed in blood.” She let out a shuddering breath, as though recoiling from a whips strike, and spoke in a trembling voice. “I wished I was wrong, Shen! More then ever before. I wished I was wrong.”

Shen could not believe what was happening before him. He did this for the city! For his family!

“I do not want to believe it.” His mother spoke. “Please tell me. In no uncertain terms. What have you done!”

“What have I done.” He vomited out his words with the worst bile he could muster. “I did this, because destiny does not control me!”

He turned to his father

“I did this for Gongem!”

He turned to his mother.

“I did this for you!”

He turned to the Soothsayer. “I did this because of your prophecy!”

He spun and gestured grandly. “I did this...because Gongmen needs it heir! How long can you ensure that someone else wont discover the secrets in fireworks! Only I can protect us!”

He father strode forth. And so did the solders.

“Enough of this nonsense! Shen! You have committed a terrible crime! Robed the world of an entire culture and people! Broken all our hearts. You are no longer Gongmen's heir. No longer our son! You are banished from these lands under penalty of death!” He stopped as the solders filed forth, spears at the ready.

The face of the lord of Gongmen suddenly became devoid of stoic authority, and shifted to one of pain. He spoke in a hollow voice. “You've left me no choice.”

“I love you my son.”

Shen recoiled for a moment at his words. Finally. After years of unsaid words and veiled emotions. He said it clearly. It froze Shen.

Until his shock was replaced by a terrible rage.

Now? He chose now to say it? Shen's blood boiled, his crest and feathers fanned out. How dare he wait so long to say it! And to chose now, when he was laid low and beneath them. It was a lie! Just like all the times his family told he would one day rule the city!

But now Shen had greater ambitions.

“Then I shall leave! And take those loyal with me!” He flew out the tower as his parents chased him over to his wolves who had began to part to let their Lord through. He landed and turned to face them as solders gathered. “I will fulfill this last request. And leave.” 

As he reached the gates, he turned one last time to the lord, lady, and soothsayer.

“But I will return one day! I will have revenge! And all of china will bow at my feet!”

 

As soon as they had left the gates beyond the sight of the city's scouts, Shen set them on a long journey to an old fortress that was used for metal work along the edge of china. It was of no use anymore since the mine ran dry, it sat in a strategically useless place and was falling apart.

It would be perfect.

“I just realized, you didn't tell them about the baby.” Said the wolf commander. His eye stitched and patched. Shen nearly wretched when he saw it after being untreated for so long. The pus had to be drained and the eye was cleaved down the middle. They had to seal it carefully by stitching it. Wolves were tough, but he could do without the commanders pained muffled screaming though his teeth.

Shen scoffed. “And what good would that do now? “Oh by the way! I spared one with the intention of raising him to make sure that the last panda would be loyal to me!” they would really be understanding of that.” The baby fussed in his arms, he had long stopped whimpering since Shen cut down some bamboo and fed him. Shen had spent the better part of the journey passing him off to wolves who had much more experience raising children, until the commander had all but forced him to carry the child. “Besides, I am now the master of his fate, just as I am the master of my own.”

Shen was about to say more when his index feather was taken by some force and became wet. He looked down to see the panda had taken it into his mouth and began to suckle it, making small sounds as he did. The former peacock lord let it continue for only a moment before pulling his finger free. The child was about to cry when Shen placed more bamboo in his mouth. “I hope that scout we sent gets back here soon with the those baby things, I grow less comfortable carrying this child around by the minuet.”

“Well Shen, you spared him with the intent of raising him. You might as well spend some time Raising him, or else he wont be loyal to you. He'd be loyal to, I don't know, the wolves.” The commander paused. “What if he finds out?”

“We tell him the truth. The pandas were going to stop me, so I stuck first. His parents abandoned him in a radish cart, and I saw something worthwhile.”

The commander did not seemed satisfied, but it wasn't up to him. “He's going to need a name. Any ideas?”

She gave a moment of thought. Yes. The boy needed a name. One that would represent what Shen had always wanted. The child would be his disciple, his student. And in return for his teaching, he would treat him as precious.

“Po.”


	2. How to teach your panda

The commander of the wolves forsook his name the day he led his men to follow Shen down the path he was carving. But he made a promise to his friend to be with him till his body wore out. He remembered when they were both young. A time when things seemed so simpler and happier. A peafowl meandering the palace grounds, and a young wolf then in training. The young lord would bring the sweetest treats to the wolves, much to the annoyance of the instructors. They had to eventually strike a bargain with their lord that if he would stop distracting the guards with sweets, they would let him bring treats and train with the youth. That's how they met. They shared training times and break times. They would speak of small things, of how when Shen would be a lord, with him as his right hand. And it was a time after that, the wolves had pledged themselves to Shen, with his best friend as his commander.

So when lord Shen decided to remove the pandas as a threat, they hardly questioned him.

But now fifteen years after the exile, he was feeling a bit better about the whole affair. He had a new purpose to ease his mind and conscience. The boy was a pawfull at first. A hungry child who had frequent nightmares that his adopted father had little patience to spare for. So the task of soothing the baby fell onto a rotation of guards that stood outside the door that Shen had assigned. Once again the commander had to nearly force the peacock to care for his son, lest his loyalty fall with the wolves instead. Not that the commander minded that though.

“Po! Get up here, or you're not getting any sweets!” He shouted from atop the ladders on the fortress scaffolding. The cold air freezing his breath as he breathed. He was training the boy's endurance; Po was unclothed save for his pants, and nothing seemed to motivate him past the pain of training more than food. Po's massive appetite by now must have cleared at least six whole forest's worth of bamboo. He heard the pandas labored breaths as he quickened his pace. He laughed to himself. As much as the training threatened to beat the boy down, he was always in cheerful spirits where food was concerned. The pandas massive arms braced themselves on the scaffolding floor as he finally made it to the top.

“Just...one...more-” He at last pulled himself onto the floor gasping. Wincing as the cold air bit his lungs. “-sssssssssecond!” The commander let out one last laugh at the sight before him. A panda boy, around maybe fifteen, give or take however young he was when they found him, practically hugging the floor boards. His fat belly jiggling from the movement, and rippling in the wind.

“Alright kid, get up. On your feet.” With one last breath Po pushed himself off the ground, standing at slouched height. Even with bad posture the boy was just shy of being taller than him. The commander would need to get used to it fast, pandas may be small for bears, but they still get pretty big. And when po was done growing, he would be the biggest thing here. “That was barely a second or so better than the last lap, so i'll just call that a success and move on.”

“Come on commander! You've been making me run and climb all day. Can't I just have a small break?” Po looked at him with pleading eyes, summing all the childish charm he could muster. After so long the commander was finally immune to Po's puppy eyes.

“Not this time kid.” he handed him some throwing knives, and pointed down towards a target often used for archery practice in a small yard cleared for training. “Hit the target fifty times from here, then you can hit the hot springs, your fathers expecting you for dinner. And you know how sensitive his nose is.”

Po's face radiated slight relief, and more than a fair bit of indignation as he mumbled. “At least it wasn't stairs.” 

The Wolves who were not busy with their duties gathered around to see the panda, taking seats on creates, planks or benches. Po threw the knives from his high perch, hitting the targets outer edge. The panda gave a frustrated growl, if the now was not in his eyes he would not be having as much trouble! He let loose three more. All of them missed the center, with the last landing furthest from the center. “Po!” Said a female wolf sitting on the benches below. “Take a breath. It helps focus!”

“Yeah kid!” Said a male on the scaffolding across to his left. “Anger only makes you sloppy!”  
Po gave them a dirty look for distracting him, but decided to take their advice. He breathed, focused, and bared his eyes to the burning wind, and let the knives loose. this time hitting closer to the center. With one last adjustment from the commander, Po was hitting the target dead center about less then half the time, which was a major improvement over one for every twenty five. It brought a smile to the wolves.

“Alright kid, get outta here. Tomorrow is more kung fu training with your dad.”

Po's relief was immediate. He threw down his hands a gave a loud groan. “Thank the gods! I wish I never have to do this again in my life.”

The commander placed a paw on Po's head and ruffled his fur. “We've got enemies out there kid. Your gonna thank me one day when someone has you cornered with throwing knives, and your only escape is a either a ladder, or to throw one back.”

“Yeah.” Po walked off fixing his fur. More than a bit annoyed.

“But it's not like I can leave.”

 

Po sat in his chair, waited on by wolves in the nicest, cleanest room the fortress had to offer. Trappings of fine taste decorated the dining hall. Ornate fabrics and art decorated the wooden walls and windows. All of it obtained from the world beyond the fortress. His father sat across the long table from him, drinking his tea as Po ate his soup. Po honestly was bored with soup, it was the only thing that could be made out here in this remote part of china where the plants did not grow. But he did liked to try the new recipes the troops would bring back when they went out on missions to gather supplies. He wished he could go with them. But he knew it was for his own safety that he couldn't leave the fortress.

He just wished.

“So my son” Said his father. “The commander tells me you are improving in your training. Fifty laps and no breaks. That must have been exhausting.”

“Yeah.” Po twirled a finger in his soup. He wanted to see something other than snow.

“And your weapons training is coming along nicely. The wolves tell me you have picked the guan-dao. You know that's my favorite weapon. The perfect mix of sword and spear!”

“Mmhm.” He wanted to see what a clear night was like.

“And I can personally attest to your kung...” He stopped when he noticed Po was not paying attention. 

Po.” His father said, but Po did not here him. “Po!” He said more irritated. “PO!” The panda sat at attention, nearly spilling his soup. The lord held a angered face until he took a breath and calmed. Never be short with him, he remembered the commander say. He put on a face of concern. “My child, if something is the matter, you must speak with me.”

“I was just thinking about...what it must be like beyond the fortress.”

“Po.” Said the lord with annoyance.

“I know we've had this conversation before, but I'm not a cub anymore! I can take care of myself!”

“Po.” He repeated with strain.

“I'm ready now!”

“You are not! you are still soft! I have yet to teach you how to be truly ruthless! In this world, I am the only one you can trust!”

Before the situation could become anymore volatile, the two were interrupted when a wolf ran into the room.

“Lord Shen! Intruders have been spotted approaching from the south!”

“What?” Shen flew off his chair to the wolf, standing at full height, a menacing expression on his face. Po was shocked, he had never seen his father react like that before, but was more interesting was whoever was outside that caused this commotion. “Who are they! Have they seen us!”

“They're big my lord! The scout counted at least twelve of them before he ran here!”

“Lord Shen!” Shouted the familiar voice of the commander as he burst into the room as well. “Gorillas, big ones. armed. They're waiting outside the gate. They said they want to speak to you. Well they said leader, but that means you.”

Shen eyes narrowed in thought, his gaze rapidly shifted from the wolf to Po, and back again. “Take him to his room.” He barked at the first wolf before turning to the commander. “Gather the wolves, if their presence proves undesirable, we will remove them.” The commander nodded and followed his lord outside.

“Come on kid.” The first wolf grabbed him by his arm, Po did not resist, his room had a view of the south courtyard after all.

 

Down in the yard, the gates opened to allow a band of at most fifteen gorillas in. Their eyes looked about wearily at the gathered wolves that surrounded them. If they attacked, they would all die, take some of them with them for sure, but still die. The leader was the runt of their band, but also the oldest and wisest. But she was now desperate to save her group that had fled their homeland with almost fifty gorillas. The fact that the dogs had assembled and opened the gates at least meant she could negotiate with whomever was in charge here. That big dog had said he would go ask.

She gulped when the inner gates opened to reveal a large white bird in silver robes. His wings folded in regal poise; no doubt a weapon concealed in his feathered fingers. He spoke in Chinese, asking her what they were doing here, she learned enough from her travels to respond.

“We have been exiled from our home for being...non compliant with our lands leaders.”

“And why did they do that?” He mockingly asked, eyeing their weapons.

“My band...retaliated after an attack, we were blamed for violating a truce.”

“I can see why you so popular in your home land.” He mocked.

She took offense, and spoke through gritted teeth. “We just took what revenge we needed, and now we have no home. No one will take us in armed as we are. We stole a villages food, and now your lands authority is out for us.” She paused for a moment, remembering that her band was counting on her. She turned to look at them, all of them too skinny. “We are starving, and on the run.” She looked at the wolves, and the bird. The wolves were not uniformed, dressed in tatters and wraps with scrounged up armor. The bird was the only one well dressed, which made the wolves hired help, and the bird a criminal. “As I'm sure you are too.”

She let herself smile when the bird recoiled, he drew his feathers out of his sleeves slightly, revealing a set of throwing knives, as the wolves raised their weapons. “We can make a pact, we will join you in whatever you wish, in return for food and shelter.”

The Bird considered it for a long time, his wolves and her gorillas becoming anxious for a answer. The snow collected on their fur in a small blanket as they fidgeted. Until finally the bird spoke.

“I need commitment.”

 

Shen would send them on missions, only letting them enter into the yard to give more orders. He would ask the strangest thing from them, like gathering anything metal, or paper and ink. The fireworks stuck her as the oddest. But when they returned from each mission with the spoils he asked for, Shen decided to kept his promise and let them join his forces.

At last, She and her band strode the halls of the fortress, lead by the commander. She eyed her band. All of them well fed and armed from their pillaging. As they made their way through the halls, they spoke amongst themselves. They had seen things from their times they were allowed to enter. Paper with designs of cylinders drawn on them, a room filled with the black powder.

And a strange white creature that they only ever saw in the corner of their eyes.

“I saw it too. White, but its face was painted with black spots. Watching me from the window.”

“I saw it when they let me in to drop off a chest. Larger then any of them, but smaller then us.”

She had enough speculation. “Quiet, once we take the pledge, perhaps we will be allowed to see this mystery creature.”

They entered a large hall, the room looked like it was used for smelting and processing ore into metals. Most of them were still hot, but apart from some running cauldrons, the room was not being used for much of anything right now. She recognized a few trinkets she had taken, all of them on a belt feeding into a large cauldron.

She followed the commander past them, before stopping in front of his lord. And their standing next to the lord with commander was the creature. Tall and wide. Some kind of bear dressed in a less ornate, but still fancy robe that was a size too big. From the distance she could not tell if his face was painted or just naturally had spots. He looked too youthful to her, and regarded her with a curiosity like he had never seen a gorilla before up close.

“Kneel.” They obeyed the peacock.

“You have proven yourselves worthy by honoring my requests. From now on, you are a part of us, and a part of my plan.”

He gestured to the cauldrons. “We are perfecting a weapon that will redefine war, and when it is complete, we will march on Gongmen city, my rightful home, from witch I was unjustly exiled. We will take its metal, and conqueror all of China!”

So. She thought. That explained his fine taste, a noble out for revenge. She felt that his ambition was a bit stretched, taking on all of china would be an impossible task. He was going to get himself killed if this weapon was a failure. He was done with his speech and told them that his fortress was their home now, they could partake in its food and pleasures. The hot springs intrigued her.

That's how she met the bear creature.

She was relaxing in the hot waters with her eyes closed, letting the feeling water on the old scars on her chest comfort her. She let her mind wonder about how she could escape from Shen ambitions if he was unfit to lead. She would have to wait and see. Her thoughts were interrupted by a young voice.

“Do you mind sharing?”

She opened her eyes to see the bear creature, undressed for bathing and reeking of sweat. It amused her, he must not be so noble if he stooped to train so heavily as to smell that bad.

“So you are a youth.” She stated. She could see it now up close, his longer fur on the top of his head, his large eyes. It reminded her of memory's she had long thought forgotten. “Come in. There's plenty of water.”

“I'm not that young,...I'm fifteen.” He dropped his cloth and climbed into the pool. After a pause he spoke again. “Do I really look like a cub?”

She chuckled. “Yes you do. And who do I owe this pleasure?”

“I'm Po Shen, lord Shen's son.” He stated proudly.

“I can see the resemblance.” She joked. She smiled when the panda looked at her like She was the idiot, before he caught her jest.

“I was adopted.” He gestured to his fur. “Though we do share a theme of white.” They sat in silence for a moment until she spoke

“I've never seen a bear like you. what are you?” The question made him look like he was uncomfortable. He became closed off and distant.

“A panda.” He finally stated, like it was some sort of crime to be something. She was about to pry when he suddenly changed the subject. “So...if you serve my dad, does that mean I can tell you what to do too?” Still a child. She thought. Never wanting to think about the bad things. She decided to entertain herself with his question.

She put her hand to her chin in mock thought. “I think I would rather...punch you in the face.” She loved the alarmed look he gave her, as though no one in his life had ever told him that. She laughed at him “Why the long face? Not everyone in the world is going to be nice to you.”

He was silent for a moment. “I've never been out in the world.”

“HA! Your kidding!” His face did not change until he looked away, an embarrassed look on his face. “Wow, your not kidding? Seriously? That is unhealthy.”

“I'm not allowed to leave until I'm twenty, by then I'll be ready to lead the wolves.”

She thought for a moment. Here was a child sheltered, and likely indoctrinated, by his father. If things with Shen went south, she was likely to go down with him. The boy could provide the best escape though. If he comes to rely on her for instruction, she would be doing both him and herself a favor. She doubted she could hide subterfuge like this from Shen. But if she asked for permission to teach him, then Shen would be none the wiser. If the boy coveted the outside world, then he might appreciate someone to teach him.

“Well Po, since we are going to be working together in the future, and you can't leave until your twenty; we might as well get used to each other.”

She offered her hand.

“I am Kala. And I will teach you how to earn your leadership, just as I earned my own.”

He took it.

From then on, Po had three teachers. And five years later, he was ready.

 

Po, now a man, stood before his father dressed in white robes trimmed with black and gold; flanked by Kala and the commander with a band of wolves behind him. His guan-dao was his fathers final gift to him. He was to be given his first mission. He tried to hide his own excitement, barely able too keep himself from dancing in place.

“Po...” Spoke his father. “I have never been more proud of you then I am today. The weapon is ready. We just need one last thing.”

“Whats the mission then?” Po asked.

“We now need more of them.” He stated simply. “Search the farthest villages, find more metal.”

“And the villagers, what if they try to stop us?” Po asked, suddenly feeling trepidatious.

“Deal with them however you wish. Just get the metal.” Po relaxed. And Shen spoke again.

“Son, like I taught you, from now on you may need to do things that you may not feel comfortable with. But it is all in the name of peace and china's protection. The day I found you was the hardest for me. It had to be done. But if that never happened, you would not be here. Remember that” 

Po absorbed it, and nodded. “Yeah dad.” He whispered.

“Gongmen shall be yours, my son. China will be mine.”


End file.
